Two men have been arrested for allegedly scamming women out of $1.3 million while 1 of them pretended to be a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers.
“Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were charged by criminal complaint in the District of Oregon with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud,” Black Sports Online’s Robert Littal wrote on August 26. “The complaint, filed Aug. 17, alleges the scheme ran from February 2022 until their arrests Aug. 24 at Boise Airport, where the FBI says Love had gone to meet new targets and Chan had flown in from California to join him. Both men remain presumed innocent. An initial appearance was set for Thursday in Boise.”
NBC Sports Bay Area also identified Love as the fake 49er, and identified Chan as posing as an investment expert to assist with the purported scams.
Love’s Instagram account, which was still live early Thursday morning, shows him in many different photos in 49ers gear and going through football workouts — including catching passes in a 49ers helmet on the beach.
The account portrays a lavish lifestyle of fast cars and big-time football.
“The (expletive) nobody wanna do,” Love wrote in an Instagram post on March 6 with a video of him backpedaling and holding a football as he pulls a weighted sled.
Multi-State Fraud Alleged by Authorities
According to multiple reports, Love met the women through dating apps where he portrayed himself as a member of the 49ers with a “private contract” who claimed to have made tens of millions playing in the NFL and through real estate investments.
According to the FBI, the alleged crimes happened in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and California and had been on since at least 2022.
“Love told the victims he wanted to build wealth and a future with them, authorities said,” NBC Sports Bay Area’s Victoria Meza wrote on August 26. “Officials added Love advertised nonexistent investment vehicles, claiming these investments would generate massive returns for both him and his victims. Court documents said Love used phone apps to create fictitious bank and investment accounts and balances to show the victims and legitimize the scheme.”
LinkedIn Account Shows Love as ‘Receiver at NFL’
Incredibly, Love’s scam only became totally clear when the NFL and 49ers confirmed to the FBI that he never played for any team at any time — not the 49ers or anyone else.
According to BSO, Love routinely showed up to 1st dates wearing a 49ers jersey and would leave a 49ers helmet in his car. The scam had at least 26 victims, and authorities believe Love and Chan were in Idaho to meet with more possible victims.
There’s even a LinkedIn account that identifies Love’s profession as “Receiver at National Football League (NFL) in South Santa Clara Valley, California.”
Man Who Posed as 49ers WR Allegedly Scammed Women Out of $1.3 Million